Dawn Desmarais

May 6, 2024 | climate.gov | Haley Thiem |Jennifer Moore |Katey Lesneski |Dawn Desmarais

In the summer of 2023, portions of the Florida Keys experienced an extreme marine heat wave, unlike any other in recorded history for the region. Heat records were broken and some reefs were completely bleached—they expelled their food-producing algal partners and turned white. Divers survey bleached corals at Cheeca Rocks reef at the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary on August 1, 2023. Video produced by NOAA.